A retirement application brought Yang Chunlong to the crossroads of his life at 27. Today, after packing up the belongings from 12 years with the Yunnan middle- and long-distance running team, he will leave the place that witnessed his growth from an inexperienced boy to the "little cannon" he is now.
He sets off on his journey, moving ever forward.
The National Games is a watershed in the careers of many state-system athletes. Seizing the opportunity, you can not only realize the dream of persisting after joining a team, or unlock the inner "obsession", but also obtain a stable job security. That security is enough for you to continue to soar freely in the marathon market, and even to have a clear view of steady income after retirement.
But if you miss the chance, it becomes a scar in your heart—one that may fade over time, but will always linger in some corner of your mind, churning when you face yourself alone, stirring strong emotions.
Yang Chunlong is the latter. Last November, he didn't get to attend his National Games.Limited by quota restrictions, he was at a disadvantage in the talent-rich Yunnan team and could only watch Gao Peng, Chen Tianyu, Dong Guojian and Yang Shaohui head off to compete. Competition's cruelty has always been like this — dictated by cold, indifferent quota limits.
At 27, a marathoner is in his prime. Compared with athletes in other track and field events, marathoners tend to have longer careers; many can maintain a strong competitive level into their 30s, even 30–35.
But if Yang Chunlong had been from a province with relatively few marathon talents, such as Anhui, he might not have the regret of missing the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao National Games, nor would he likely have decided to end his status as a state-registered athlete at 27. But instead, Yang Chunlong is from Yunnan, which produces many middle- and long-distance runners. That's probably the fate of being 'born at the wrong time.'
Some people say that if you miss Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau, you can still wait for Changsha four years later. That kind of talk seems to promise hope four years down the line, but in reality, if even Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau is out of reach, who can guarantee that Changsha four years later will be your breakout moment? Yang Chunlong could take a gamble, of course, but that would require him to pour in more effort and commitment, and for his team to support him.
Yang Chunlong himself said,when he found out on October 10 that he wouldn't make the National Games, all kinds of emotions built up and he hid in his room and cried for over an hour.
So from that perspective, if four years from now he could still risk missing out on the National Games, it might be better to turn away earlier and give himself more career choices and opportunities. When it came to deciding to leave the system, no one was more conflicted and torn than Yang Chunlong. But life choices must ultimately be faced alone. Yang Chunlong, who came out of the mountains, ultimately made a difficult but sensible decision.
Putting the National Games obsession aside, athletes inside the system face a lot of restrictions, which are a tie when they confront the temptations of the crowded marathon market. For example, in training constraints, race selection, prize-money allocation and other areas, they don't have complete control over everything.
In the two months before last year's National Games, the contrast between athletes inside and outside the state system — and the vastly different circumstances they faced — became even more pronounced. As non-system runners, some lucky ones could earn hundreds of thousands in a single month, while institutional athletes, even if they missed out on the National Games, still had to keep their posts.
During that period, faced with a barrage of sensational information, many people became distracted. A registered athlete revealed that after training with the team they mostly talked about which non-system runners had earned how much and how much prize money they had won.
After all, whether they run marathons as registered athletes or as recreational runners, being an athlete is ultimately just a social identity — marathon racing is their job. Beyond realizing personal value, the greatest purpose of work is survival. It is the foundation for making a living.
So, from now on Yang Chunlong can at least compete in the lively marathon market as an independent athlete. Yang Chunlong also always remembers Coach Zhu's words — as long as you deliver results, everything will follow. That's the truth for recreational runners and athletes within the system: with results comes the means to secure their livelihood.
Whether, having lost a relatively systematic and stable training environment, he can break 2:10 in the future remains to be seen, but at his current competitive level it's not too hard to earn more at many marathon events than he did inside the system. After all, salary levels for athletes within the system aren't exactly secret — compared with the prize-hunters of mass marathons, the contrast is clear.
Yang Chunlong had registered for the HK100 55-kilometer race. But in the end, he didn't show up at the start line. Now that he has left the system, will he pursue both marathon and trail running?
After all, Yang Chunlong entered sports school as a child and has been judged throughout by outsiders because of his height and other factors; some coaches even made rude remarks to him. Those cold words stayed with him. Now, having run a 2:11 he may still have unfinished wishes, but at least he has proven that he is no worse than anyone else.
Now many possibilities lie before Yang Chunlong. Besides road running providing him with income, trail running is also a discipline he has hopes for. Even he says that maybe in the future he could become the country's Yang Tianwang. After all, people who come from the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau naturally possess attributes suited to long-distance running, and they can handle both road and trail. While the domestic marathon scene has tightened, trail running continues to flourish and more people are entering the sport.
Perhaps at next year’s HK100 a now-free Yang Chunlong will still be able to realize his wish. Perhaps in more trail races we’ll see a Yang Chunlong, truly tested and proven, who will catch even more people’s attention.
Yang Chunlong has another path he can take: his identity as a content creator.In the past two years, Yang Chunlong has become better known and followed thanks to his distinctive voice on social media, which has made him an interesting figure who dares to express himself.
As a member of Yunnan'sLisu ethnic group,Yang Chunlong has always been unafraid to be himself。In the content-creation space, whether it's planned short dramas or performances that showcase his personality, he has accumulated a large number of fans and significant traffic. Although his ability to monetize this may still need further development, among many creators producing similar content, Yang Chunlong certainly has an irreplaceable, distinctive personality.
Not everyone can make a living from social media, and not everyone who does can count on stability, but the uniqueness of the content and thepersonal IP distinctive characteristics give Yang Chunlong, who has already gathered a considerable following, at least the chance to keep trying and exploring.
Yang Chunlong was not the first person to end his registered status within the system. Before him there have been many successful examples, whether Guan Yousheng, Li Zicheng or current athletes like Ding Changqin and Zhou Xia. Faced with a diversified market environment, you can always choose a different life for yourself and have the courage to keep going.
In fact, it’s not just Yang Chunlong — there was also Peng Jianhua before him, and many more registered athletes who left their teams after the Shenzhen National Games. As long as you find the right direction and keep running, there will always be hope. As Coach Zhu always tells Yang Chunlong——Don't give up, Chunlong. Run to the end, and you'll eventually see your own hope.
Nowadays, Yang Chunlong, who once could count on one hand the number of times he made it home, finally has time to return for the Spring Festival. This time he shouldn't have trouble finding his way back home. Remember to stay disciplined.
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